Looking for a Reason
by Lost Dreamer83
Summary: Dr. Ella Jamison is stationed on Olduvai with her best friend, Dr. Samantha Grimm. What happens when the lab gets shut down and an old friend comes to the station? ReaperOC Movie Based, Rated M for Language. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

Hello! This is my first try at a fic like this. So, let me know if it's any good. Just so you know it's movie based. I played the game a long time ago and I really liked the movie, so, I thought I'd add a little romance to the mix. Let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing associated with Doom in any way.

**

* * *

Chapter 1: Arrival of RRTS**

Dr. Ella Jamison sighed as she pushed up her dark framed glass that had slid down her nose. She was a member of Dr. Carmack's classified research team in UAC's Olduvai Research Facility; however, instead of working with them in the lab that day, she was working with Dr. Jamie Henderson helping her with the final reports for the quarter for each division. "This always seems to take forever, doesn't it?" Ella asked Jamie and the other woman smiled.

"That it does, but it has to get done and lucky for you Dr. Carmack assigned you to do it, huh?" she asked and Ella laughed as she nodded her head and began to work on her paperwork once again when Dr. Carmack's voice echoed from the internal computer next to her.

"_This is Dr. Carmack, Classified Research, Olduvai, ID 6627,"_ he said his voice shaking slightly. Ella sat up straight and looked at the monitor that was blank, only his voice was transmitting at that time. _"We've had a Level 5 breach. Implement quarantine procedures immediately."_ Ella stood and looked at Jamie who was just as concerned as Ella was. _"Implement quarantine procedures now!'_ Ella ran from Jamie's office and down the corridors to where her best friend, Samantha Grimm was stationed. However, when she had gone there, Sam was called away. Ella sighed and made her way down another corridor when a voice stopped her.

"Ella!" Samantha said as she rushed over to her. "You weren't with your team?" she asked and Ella shook her head as she tried to steady her breathing.

"No, Dr. Carmack had me working on the quarterly reports. I heard his transmission and then I couldn't find you. What's going on?" Ella asked and Samantha shook her head.

"I don't know, but no one's been responding to our contacts. RRTS have been contacted and I've been given orders to retrieve the data." Ella licked her lips and shook her head, her dark hair already falling slightly from her clip due to her running.

"I'm going with you," she said firmly and Samantha nodded.

"Good, I was hoping you would. It would take less time with the two of us." Ella took the clip from her hair before she pulled it back and clipped it securely once more.

"Wait, Sam," Ella said stopping the other woman from walking away. Ella's blue eyes met the dark ones of her friend and she sighed. "John is a member of RRTS, is he one of the men coming?" Ella asked. Sam shrugged, but something was telling Ella the woman knew.

"I don't know, but come on. They're probably here." Ella nodded and adjusted her glasses once more before she followed her friend down the corridors.

They entered the atrium and that was when they saw them, and John was with them. Ella straightened her shoulders and walked more confidently then she felt that moment. As Sam and Ella made their way over to the marines one of them with slicked back blonde hair approached.

"We under a level five quarantine, so I'm just gonna have to strip-," he was cut off by one of the other marines.

"Portman!" the man said and Ella shook off the creepy vibe that guy gave off.

"Sergeant, this is Dr. Samantha Grimm, the UAC science officer assigned to retrieve data from the lab," Charles said.

"Sergeant," Samantha said. "This is Dr. Ella Jamison. She's part of Dr. Carmack's team."

"Dr. Grimm, Dr. Jamison," the sergeant said. Ella gave him a nod and a small smile.

"Hello John," Samantha said as she looked to her brother whose eyes were trained on the two women.

"Hello Samantha, Ella," he added as he looked at her. Ella nodded her head.

"Hello John," Ella said. One of the other men said something, but Ella couldn't hear what he said and then what John said only angered her and caused her to forget her nerves.

"Sarge, this operation is a code red. We really don't have room for passengers," John said. Ella was insulted and it was obvious to her that Samantha was too.

"Excuse me, but I have orders to retrieve data from three servers: Anthropology, Forensic Archeology, and Genetics," Samantha said and John just smirked at her.

"This is a military operation, Doctor. We're really not here to retrieve your science homework," John said and Ella snapped. It was her team, her research. She couldn't just let it go to waste.

"Why don't you ask your CO what your orders are?" Ella asked and all eyes looked at her before they moved to Sarge.

"To contain and neutralize the threat, protect the civilians, and retrieve . . . retrieve UAC property," Sarge said. John shook his head and sighed.

"We finally done here? Because we've got a job to do," Samantha said as she began to walk away with Ella and Charles right behind her. "If you'll follow me?" she asked and Ella sighed.

"Sorry about back there Sam," she whispered and Samantha nodded.

"Don't worry, I was going to say the exact same thing," Samantha whispered. Ella smiled and nodded her head.

* * *

Sarge sighed and as they walked he talked to Reaper. "You chose this, Reaper," he said sternly. "Is this gonna spoil my day?" he asked and Reaper shook his head.

"No, sir," he said firmly. Duke walked up to him and smiled.

"Tell me you didn't let a fine-looking piece of ass like that get away from you, Reaper," Duke teased and Reaper glanced at him.

"Who?" Reaper asked.

"Samantha," Duke said and Reaper glared.

"She's my sister," he said before he picked up the pace.

"There's three sections to Carmack's lab complex," Sarge said. Ella nodded.

"Archeology, Genetics, and Weapons Research," Ella said.

"You test weapons up here?" the blonde Sarge called Portman asked. Ella let Sam grace his question with an answer.

"Well, it's a dead planet," Sam said. "You want that stuff tested here, where it's safe, or in your own backyard?" Samantha asked.

"We're primarily an archeological operation. Weapons Research is in its own separate facility. It has nothing to do with our work," Ella said.

"How many people inside when the lab just down?" Sarge asked.

"Only Dr. Carmack's team, minus Ella, that's six people," Samantha said and Sarge turned to Ella.

"Why weren't you with your team?" he asked.

"Per Dr. Carmack's order I was working on the quarterly reports for our research in Dr. Henderson's office," she said sadly. "I heard his communication and went in search of S-Dr. Grimm. I found her and requested that I go with her on her assignment as it would be quicker with the two of us," Ella finished. Sarge nodded.

"In one of the carbon dating labs, there was an internal phone left off the hook," Samantha said.

"Did you get any information from it?" Sarge asked. Samantha looked to Charlie who held up a small tape recorder. He hit play and screams of Ella's team echoed off the metal walls around them. Ella looked away and shook her head. She should have been with them, but she wasn't and now, her team, her family was probably hurt or dead and there she was without so much as a scratch. "Open the door," Sarge said and Ella looked up only to meet the dark eyes of John Grimm.

Reaper sighed when Ella met his gaze. She betrayed him, going up to Olduvai. He knew it wasn't safe. He practically begged her not to go, but she did. She chose her friendship with Samantha over her friendship with him. The sound of the airlock opening behind her tore her gaze away from him and he shook his head slightly.

"Portman, Goat, lead on," Sarge said and the two men moved into position as Charlie opened the door and they went inside the airlock chamber.

"Magnesium, chromium, lead. It's all normal," Portman said.

"All clear," Goat said and the rest of them went into the chamber.

"Pinky, give us a schematic," Sarge said and Ella walked inside before Sam who then followed and locked the door behind her.

"_Uploading to you now,"_ Pinky said. _"Carmack's lab is isolated from the rest of the facility. The airlock is the only way in or out." _Sarge nodded and turned around to his men to give out the orders.

"Goat, Portman: Genetics," he said the two men nodded. "Kid, Destroyer: Carmack's office, where he sent the mayday from." The other men nodded. "Reaper, keep Dr. Grimm and Dr. Jamison here safe on their salvage op." Ella sighed. She could already feel the tension emanating from the two of them and she just hoped that the fighting words would remain to a minimum. "Duke and I'll take the weapons lab; make sure all the hardware's secure. Be safe, gentlemen. Portman, Goat, on you."

"It's on," Goat said and the two men turned to the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Doom in any way.

**

* * *

Chapter 2: Dr. Carmack **

The sounds of the marines' guns cocking sent shivers up Ella's spine but she knew they were needed. Who knew what was locked in there with her team. "Clear left," Portman said.

"Clear right," Goat said and everyone followed the two men into the lab. Ella and Sam went in behind Sarge and in front of Reaper.

"Five bucks says this shit ain't nothing but a disgruntled employee with a gun," Portman said. Ella rolled her eyes and shook her head as they walked down the corridor. Ella never remembered the corridor being as frightening as it was that very moment.

"Fluorescent markings as rooms are cleared. Go," Sarge said and the group disbanded. Sam made to lead them down to the archeology lab but John, or Reaper, as the other referred to him, took the lead.

"I'll lead on," he said. Sam sighed and Ella just nodded her head not wanting to create an argument. Ella walked in between the two and when the arrived at archeology she went up to the console. She opened the door and John stepped inside first moving quickly. Sam followed him in. "Lock it," he said quickly and Sam turned on the lights as Ella stepped in. Sam locked the door and went down the steps towards the computer. As John cleared the room Sam touched Ella's arm.

"I'll work on the downloading right now," Sam whispered and Ella looked at her with a nod.

"It's clear," John said and Sam and Ella walked further into the room. However, Ella hung back while Sam went to the computer. "How much time you gonna need?" John asked while Sam sat down.

"Thirty minutes, tops," Sam said as she logged onto the computer. Ella looked at John as he stood looking around the room. He hadn't changed much, his hair was a little shorter and his face looked slightly older, and his eyes . . . his eyes seemed haunted. That was the one thing she knew changed more then anything else, and she wondered just what the cause of that look in his eyes was. "So, 'Reaper'?" Sam asked. Ella knew this was going to be coming up soon and she looked to her friend. "As in 'Grim'?"

"They're marines, Sam, not poets," John said as he continued to look around. "Holy shit!" he said as he spotted 'Lucy' and her baby, the first set of humanoid remains found on the planet.

"That's Lucy," Ella said and John glanced at her.

"Lucy, this is my brother, John, another creature from the long lost past," Sam said dryly. John looked back at Lucy and looked at her closely.

"You found human remains?" John asked.

"Humanoid," Ella said. "Lucy and her baby were the first major find. We're brining out more and more every day." John looked up at Ella and she saw a deep fire in his eyes as he looked at her and then turned and looked at Sam.

"You re-opened the dig?" he asked angrily and Ella sighed as she looked between them.

"I know I should have told you," Sam said. "I didn't figure it was the sort of thing you write on a yearly birthday card."

"It's been stabilized," Ella said defending their work and John looked at her sharply.

"Bullshit!" he exclaimed and Ella jumped slightly.

"You wanna talk about safe?" Sam asked and John looked back at her. "Like you took a desk job?" John sighed and looked away from Sam and glanced at Ella before he looked away from her too.

"We're forensic archeologists, John," Ella said softly.

"We go where the work is," Sam finished.

"Is that the only reason you're up here?" John asked as he looked back at Sam. He looked at Ella and nodded. "And you?" Ella shook her head and was about to tell him what they found when Sam beat her to it.

"You wanna know why I'm up here?" Sam asked as she picked up a disc. "I'll show you, come here." She put the disc into the computer and opened the data. Ella walked over with John and looked at the data she had practically memorized. "This is Lucy's chromosome profile. Notice anything?" John sighed and looked at her.

"My molecular genetics is a little rusty," Reaper said slowly and Ella shook her head. Sam sighed and looked at her brother sternly.

"What's the first thing dad taught us to look for?" Sam asked and Ella looked at the computer as John did. Ella glanced at him and saw a slightly confused look on his face.

"She's got 24 pairs of chromosomes," John said.

"Human's only have 23," Sam said.

"But what does the extra pair do?" John asked.

"Makes her superhuman," Ella said as she turned from them and walked over to Lucy. "The extra pair makes her super strong, super fit, super intelligent. Her cells divide 50 times faster meaning she heals almost instantly." Sam smiled from the computer and John walked over to where Ella stood. "The fossil record indicates these people had conquered disease. We found no genetic disorders, no viruses, no cancers."

"So what, they were just naturally superior?" John asked and Ella shook her head.

"No not naturally," Ella said as the computer beeped and Sam returned to her downloading. "The earliest remains we found only had 23 chromosomes. We suspect the extra one may be synthetic."

"Bioengineered?" John asked sounding surprised and Ella smiled.

"That's a long word for a marine," Sam said from the console and John looked at her before he looked back at Lucy, but not before he stole a look at Ella. "Does it ever bother you, you could've spent your life looking in a microscope instead of a sniper scope?" Sam asked and Ella looked at John who just shook his head.

"If they were so smart, how come they're so dead?" John asked and Ella sighed.

"We don't know," Ella said and John looked at her once again. Her blue eyes locked with his dark hazel ones and she swallowed hard. "Maybe they just went with time," she finished and John looked away from her and back to Lucy.

"You don't shield a baby from time," John said softly. For some reason, Ella wanted to reach out and take his hand, but she held herself back and she was glad she did when he stood straighter and Ella could hear a voice come over his ear piece but couldn't hear what was said. "You both stay here, okay?" he asked and looked to Ella. "Lock the door," he finished before he left the pair. John left and Ella looked to Sam.

"Something's not right," Ella said. "I don't understand any of this. You think they would have found someone, anyone. Dr. Carmack, Steve, Hilary, Patricia, any one." Sam nodded and glanced at the door. Ella shook her head. "I'll be back," she said as she made to walk to the door. She heard Sam hit keys on the console.

"I'm coming with you," Sam said and the two women made they're way through the corridor, towards where they heard the others.

* * *

"Don't move," Reaper said as he walked into the area and pointed his gone at the quivering blood covered man in the corner. The other men slowly came in around him. Sarge turned on the lights and frowned at seeing Dr. Carmack. Ella rushed into the room and John grabbed her arm and glanced at Samantha. "Ella, I told you both to stay-." 

"But he knows us, John!" Ella said as she jerked her arm away and slowly inched towards Dr. Carmack. "Dr. Carmack, it's me. Ella, and Samantha's here too," she said soothingly. "Where are the others? Where are they?" Ella asked, but Dr. Carmack didn't answer he just dropped an arm on the floor. Ella glanced down at it and swallowed hard as she looked back up at the doctor. "I'm not going to hurt you," she said reassuringly as she moved closer and Dr. Carmack moved away and slid down the wall. "I promise Dr. Carmack, I'm not going to hurt you." Ella was almost to him when he cried out and grasped his left ear in his hand and ripped it off. Ella's face paled and she stepped back. "Oh, god," she whispered and Samantha took over.

"Get a med kit," Samantha said quickly and held out her hand to her brother. Ella stepped back as John handed Samantha a med kit. Ella swallowed hard and shook her head again trying to get her stomach to stop spinning. "I'm not going to hurt you," Samantha said and she moved closer to Dr. Carmack.

"Duke, get him to the infirmary with Dr. Grimm," Sarge said. "Portman, Kid, go to the airlock and dig in. Anything trying to get away from us will get driven straight to you. Now let's see if we can find the body that goes with that arm," Sarge said as the men moved out. Reaper hung back and put a hand on Ella's shoulder. Duke was lifting Dr. Carmack off the floor and Samantha was helping him.

"Go with them, Ella," he said gently, in a tone she remembered well. She looked up at him and she heard him sigh. "Go on, it'll be safer in there then it will be out here."

"But," she started when he shook his head.

"No buts," he said firmly. "Help them," he told her and she nodded. She stepped away and went over to Duke and helped him with Dr. Carmack. With one last glance at John she followed Samantha to the infirmary.


	3. Chapter 3

Let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Doom in anyway.

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* * *

Chapter 3: Promises**

Ella walked behind Duke as Samantha led them to the infirmary. Ella heard Dr. Carmack's shivering breath and incoherent mumbles, and she worried for him. They neared the nanowall and Duke shook his head. "No, no," he said and Ella looked at him as she adjusted her grip on the doctor. "No, no, I don't do nanowalls." Sam looked at him as she swiped her key and pushed the button.

"Yes, you do," she said and the door materialized.

"You got him?" he asked Ella and she nodded her head as she moved and took Dr. Carmack's right side. "Wait here." Duke entered the infirmary and checked it out before he ushered them inside. Ella led Dr. Carmack in with Samantha following behind them and closing the door. Duke went over to Ella immediately and took Dr. Carmack from her.

"Get him over to the exam table," Ella said as she walked over to Samantha who was putting on her lab coat. "Sam, I've never seen anything like this," she whispered and Samantha nodded her head. "I don't know what could happen to someone that would make them rip their own ear off." Samantha sighed as she looked at Ella.

"I don't either, but we've got to do something," she said. Ella nodded and Samantha walked over to where Duke had laid Dr. Carmack. Ella swallowed hard when she saw Steve's wife, Jenna, helping Samantha.

"Did you find the others?" she asked and Samantha shook her head as she wheeled over a cart.

"Not yet," she said and Ella sighed as she grabbed a lab coat and gloves.

"My husband's with them," Jenna said and Ella walked over to them as she put on her lab coat and gloves.

"I'm sure Steve's fine," Ella said as she stopped next to her and Jenna gave her a small smile and a nod.

"Dr. Carmack, I'm going to take your blood pressure," Samantha said and Ella looked down at him. Steve's wife touched his face and looked down at his eyes when he suddenly sat up and grabbed onto Samantha's shoulders.

"Hey!" Duke shouted but the three women got the doctor under control.

"It's okay, it's okay," Samantha said as they laid the doctor back down.

"I can feel it," Dr. Carmack whispered and Ella frowned as she stepped back.

"What happened in there?" Samantha asked gently and the doctor just stared up at her shivering.

"Shut it, shut it down. She was right. Shut it down," Dr. Carmack stuttered and Ella's frown only deepened. "S-shut it down . . . she was right . . . it's inside," he said slowly and Ella shook her head. With the other's attention was focused on Dr. Carmack she took off her gloves and coat and left the infirmary.

* * *

As Reaper and Goat passed genetics they both heard something inside the room. Reaper looked to Goat who nodded. "We heard something in Genetics," he said over his com. "We're re-entering."

"_That's affirmative, Reaper,"_ Sarge said in response and the two men made their way into the genetics lab. They walked inside and saw various sizes of empty cages with either pieces of torn away flesh or insides strewn about them and blood splattered everywhere. Reaper frowned and kept his eyes alert to anything that moved.

"Looks like we missed the party," he said lowly and Goat looked around shocked.

"We were just here," Goat said quietly. "What happened to all the animals?" They continued to check the large room and as they rounded a corner, growling and movement caught their attention. They turned their guns quickly and trained them on a man dressed in a lab coat leaning over mouse cages. Reaper and Goat lowered their guns but kept them ready.

"Sir, RRTS. We're here to help," Reaper said but the man only glanced at them before he turned back. "Sir, are you okay?" Reaper asked as he watched the man pull a mouse from the cage. The man turned and faces them as he bit the head off the mouse. Goat winced and Reaper just looked at him not quiet sure to make of the situation. "Okay," Reaper said slowly. The man ate the rest of the mouse and as he finished it off he picked up a jaded knife. "No, no, no. Sir, put it down," Reaper said loudly. The man just growled and raised the knife as he charged. Reaper screamed out at him before he raised his gun along with Goat and the two men gunned down the other man.

"_Contact report,"_ Sarge's voice came over Goat's and Reaper's com. Reaper looked towards the man confused and alarmed.

"Damn it," Reaper whispered before he and Goat moved over to the man. "We found another one of the scientists. Some weird shit is going on here Sarge," Reaper said.

"_Can you ID him?"_ Sarge asked and Reaper kneeled down and looked at the man's tag.

"We got a Dr. Olsen," he said with a sigh. "He rushed us. Crazy. Just like Carmack."

"_Is he dead?"_ Sarge asked.

"Yeah, very," Reaper said. "Should we bag him and tag him?"

"_Negative. Continue your search."_ Reaper nodded and looked to Goat who nodded back and they moved out.

* * *

Dr. Carmack was shivering and it looked as though his features were changing. Duke sighed and looked around when he noticed something. "Where's Dr. Jamison?" he asked and Samantha's head shot up from looking at Dr. Carmack. Worry filled her and she shook her head.

"I don't know," she said her worry obvious in her tone.

"Shit," Duke said. "Guys, we got a problem," he said into his com.

"_Report," _Sarge said and Duke looked to Samantha who had stepped over to him while Jenna, drew blood from Dr. Carmack.

* * *

Reaper and Goat paused in genetics while they waited to hear what Duke had to say. _"Dr. Jamison is gone,"_ Duke said and Reaper's posture stiffened.

"Where?" he asked and Goat looked at him curiously.

"_I don't know, one second she was here, the next she was gone,"_ came Duke's reply and Reaper sighed.

"_Keep your eyes pealed for Dr. Jamison," _Sarge said and Reaper felt a knot in his stomach, but would dare show it. Not even in front of Goat. Soon, Reaper and Goat were leaving genetics when something caught Reaper's attention. He turned back around and saw a large figure jump from somewhere. Reaper and Goat began firing and the large figure took off.

"Move, move, move," Reaper shouted as they fired their weapons and chased after the creature.

"_Reaper, what have you got?" _Sarge asked as Reaper and Goat ran down the corridors.

"We're chasing something!" he shouted.

"_What do you mean, something?"_ Sarge asked.

"Something big, not human!"

"_God damn it! Give me a confirmation on what you're seeing."_

"Reaper," Goat whispered as they rounded a final corridor and both men slowly approached the torn open sewer cover.

* * *

Ella was running towards the sound of the gunshots. They were at genetics, but then stopped. She heard heavy running and shouting so she turned her attention to that and followed it. She was nearing the med lab when she heard John's voice.

"It's in the sewer," John said. "All units, all units, southeast corridor near the med lab." She rounded the corner only to have two guns trained on her. She held up her hands and John sighed as he lowered his gun. Goat lowered his but turned it and his attention to the sewer, looking for any signs of movement.

"John," Ella breathed and he frowned as he walked over to her.

"Are you crazy?" he asked her in a heated whisper. "Why did you leave the infirmary?" he demanded and Ella sighed as she raised a hand to her head.

"I don't know," she whispered and looked up at him as she lowered her hand. "I honestly don't know what exactly is going on here, John, but I think I have an idea." John sighed and grasped her arm and pulled her over to where Goat stood.

"Look, Ella, when the other's get here, Sarge will have someone take you back to the infirmary. Whatever this thing is, it did this," he said as he showed her the torn up sewer lid. Ella looked at him with worried eyes. "It also made a meal of the animals in the genetics lab. It's too dangerous out here for you. You need to stay with Sam and Duke. You need to stay where you'll be safe." Ella nodded.

"Okay, John, I promise," she whispered and John looked down at her as she looked away remembering the last time she uttered those words to him.

* * *

"_Ella, promise me something," seventeen year old John Grimm said to the young women that leaned against his shoulder. She looked up at him, a lock of her dark hair falling into her eyes._

"_Promise you what John?" she asked as she raised a hand to move her hair from her face only to have him reach over and tuck it away._

"_You're friends with Sam and I'm her brother as well as your friend. Besides the two of us, you really don't have anyone, just like I don't without Sam . . . or without you. Promise me that no matter what happens that we'll always have each other." Ella smiled up at him. "Would you promise me that?"_

"_Okay, John, I promise," she said before she laid her head against his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her protectively and both turned their attention to the rushing river in front of them._

* * *

"You should be careful with your promises," John said as if he too was remembering that moment.

"I've never broken any," she whispered and John raised an eyebrow and she shook her head. "I've written to you every week since the day Sam and I came up here. I just never had the courage to send them." John frowned but before he could ask why, the other men came around the corner.

"The elusive Dr. Jamison," Sarge said and she looked at him. "Destroyer, take Dr. Jamison back to the infirmary and move quickly. Be back in ten." Destroyer nodded and Ella moved away from John and followed the other man down the corridors.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to the two readers that reviewed. I'm glad you like it so far. Let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I own nothing in relation to Doom whatsoever.

**

* * *

Chapter 4: One of Their Own**

"Ella!" Sam said as Ella walked into the infirmary. Ella sighed and rushed over to her friend before embracing her tightly. Jenna was gone and Samantha was running a blood sample. Destroyer looked to Duke.

"Keep an eye on them both," Destroyer said and Duke nodded as Destroyer left to rejoin the other team. Samantha pulled back from Ella and sighed.

"Where did you go?" she asked and Ella fidgeted with her hands.

"I went to find John," she whispered before she walked around Samantha and towards the computer that was processing Dr. Carmack's blood sample she noted when she walked over to it. Samantha sighed and walked over to Ella.

"What were you thinking?" Samantha asked in a whisper and Ella took her glasses off and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I don't know," she said as she lowered her hand and put her glasses back on. "I really don't know. I guess . . . old habits die hard," she said after a moment and watched the computer. Samantha sighed and shook her head as she busied herself too. Ella soon became lost in her thoughts while the computer whirled.

_

* * *

Ella ran down the street, tears falling from her eyes. She was running to the only place she felt safe. At ten years old that was to her best friend's house, however, it wasn't Samantha that she was running to._

_John was up in his tree house in the backyard of his grandparent's house. Samantha was inside studying as always. He looked out the window of the small house and saw Ella running up the street and into their yard. She went straight for the tree and he knew something had happened._

_Ella climbed up the ladder and as soon as she was through the entrance, she threw herself into John's arms. The slightly older boy sighed and returned her embrace._

"_What's wrong Ella?" he asked as he held her and she pulled back slightly and looked at him, her eyes red from crying._

"_Everything," she said and he handed her his camouflage sweatshirt he had taken off so she could wipe her face. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and sighed. "They never stop screaming at each other, I wish I lived here." She sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "I wish I lived here with your grandparents, Sam, and . . . and you. You never let anything happen to me." John sighed and gave her the box of cookies he'd taken from the kitchen. She sniffed again and took a cookie._

"_You can always count on me, Ella, always," John said and Ella smiled at him as she nibbled on her cookie._

"_I know John," she said and John smiled at her a faint blush on his cheeks._

* * *

Ella smiled as she remembered all the times he had been there for her that was just the first of many. "You know that it wasn't safe for you to go after him," Samantha said and Ella looked at her. "That was crazy; whatever did this to Dr. Carmack could have had you for dessert." Ella sighed and looked back at the computer as it still searched.

"I know, Sam. It's just . . . I have an idea of what's going on, but I don't know for sure and I was scared." Samantha sighed and looked at her friend sympathetically.

"Ella, you haven't had him to run to for ten years. I mean, you've been through a lot up here and there have been other times when you've been scared and you didn't run to anyone, you stood up for yourself. What difference does it make now?"

"I guess . . . when I know he's within my reach, I turn into that girl that needed him. That girl that couldn't go a day without knowing he was there." Samantha sighed once again.

"But you're not that girl anymore, Ella." Ella nodded as the computer started to beep. Both women looked to the monitor and frowned as Duke walked over to them. "What's going on?" Samantha asked in a whisper as she typed. Ella was just as confused as Samantha was when the screen read 'no blood match.'

"'No blood match,'" Duke said from behind them. "Can't be good right?" he asked and Ella shook her head.

"No, it can't be good," she said as she looked at him. Duke smirked and looked to Samantha.

"This is crazy," Samantha said as she turned from them and walked over to where Dr. Carmack was laying. Duke looked at Ella and she looked at him.

"Where did you disappear to?" he asked and she blushed as she adjusted her glasses.

"I went to find John," she said and Duke laughed.

"Serious?" he asked and she nodded. "What's your story?" Ella shook her head and opened her mouth to tell him there wasn't one when they heard Samantha.

"Oh my God!" she said and Ella walked over to where she was with Duke right behind her. Dr. Carmack was gone and the blanket and gown they had put him in was ripped up and laying on the floor.

"Where did he go?" Duke asked and Samantha looked at Ella and Ella frowned and shook her head. Samantha sighed and quickly went back to the computer.

* * *

Reaper stood in the dark sewer his gun in his hands as he waited for Sarge to get down he ladder. Ella was crazy for running from the lab like she did, but the second he saw her he knew why. She was looking for him, just as she always had and to know that he still meant something after all the years they'd been separated made him feel a little better about being up on the God forsaken planet.

"_The tunnel ahead is the main junction,"_ came Pinky's voice over their com's when Sarge planted his feet on the sewer floor. They turned their lights on and began to walk down the water filled and dark tunnels. _"It leads back under the lab complex."_

"Destroyer, cover the exit," Sarge said and the man nodded as he adjusted his grip on his gun. The others moved on holding their guns tightly and searching ever cranny and ever corner for where whatever the hell the thing was they were looking for. As they walked, Sarge noticed something floating in the water, and it looked like a blood stained lab coat. He walked over and grabbed it looking at the name tag. "We got a Dr. Willits, Steve Willits." He threw the lab coat aside and shouldered his gun once more. "Move out." The men began to move again and Reaper looked down a dark tunnel but saw nothing before he continued on.

"'Be sober, be vigilant because your adversary, the devil walketh about seeking whom he may devour,'" Goat recited as they walked the tunnel.

"That's real comforting, Goat," Portman said. "That ain't freaking me out at all." The continued on when suddenly, Portman went under the water with a scream.

"Portman!" Goat yelled,

"What the fuck!" Sarge yelled as Reaper pushed his gun aside and ran to where the man went under.

"Come on!" Reaper yelled and Goat and Kid went over and helped him. "Grab an arm! Goddamn son of a bitch is heavy!" he yelled as they pulled Portman back up. "He's slipping!" Reaper said but soon they had Portman out of the water and back on his feet.

"Shit," Portman said.

"Portman, what the hell happened?" Sarge demanded as Reaper sighed and got back on his feet.

"I fell in the damn hole. Shit," Portman said.

"Everybody, on me. Watch your goddamn footing. Move!" Sarge yelled before they moved out and continued down the tunnel.

* * *

"This doesn't make any sense," Ella said as she once again pushed her glasses up her nose and punched the computer keys. "This isn't right," she mumbled as she ran test after test.

"Ella," Samantha said with a sigh. Ella just shook her head.

"No, I'm going to figure this out. Something's wrong, really wrong. It justdoesn't make sense." Duke sighed.

"You've been saying that for the last twenty minutes. Ella looked up at him sharply and he held his hands up in defense and she returned to the computer.

Suddenly, the nanowall materialized and John and Sarge came in carrying a blood covered goat. Ella gasped and Duke moved away quickly to help as the others filed in behind them.

"What happened?" Samantha asked and Ella ran over to help as they laid Duke on the table.

"He was talking about devils," Portman said as he was moving quickly and gathering things they needed.

"Devils?" Samantha asked and Ella wheeled over a cart with possible items and medications they may need.

"All his Bible shit. Angels. Good and evil. Devils among us," Portman said as he checked a saline bag.

"Let's get this vest off him," John said quickly.

"Now he's clear," Destroyer said as they took off Goat's vest. Duke felt for a pulse and shook his head.

"Got a weak pulse," Duke said and Ella felt her hands trembling.

"Portman, get me a line in here," John said quickly.

"Come on man," Destroyer said and Ella looked at John.

"Kid, keep pressure on that wound," John said. "How's the pulse?"

"I'm losing him," Duke said.

"Ella, give me a shot of adrenaline," John said and Ella nodded her head as she prepared the syringe. Suddenly the EKG went flat lined. Johns sighed.

"We lost the pulse," Duke said and John moved quickly.

"Okay, let's defib," John said as he readied to do just that. "Clear!" John shouted as he put the paddles on Goat's body and hit the button. Goat's body jerked and the monitor continued to beep once again.

"Where the hell's Carmack?" Sarge asked and Ella rolled her eyes and let Sam talk to him as she was having a hard enough time filling the syringe.

"He disappeared," Samantha said.

"What do you mean he disappeared?" Sarge asked.

"He's gone. He disappeared."

"I've lost the pulse," Duke said.

"Shit, okay," John said. "Gonna defib. Clear!" He zapped Goat's body and the monitor beeped once. "Come on," John whispered. But the machine didn't beep again. "No response."

"We're losing him," Duke said. John looked to Ella and held out his hand.

"Ella, give me that adrenaline," he said and she quickly handed him the needle. John quickly shot the adrenaline into Goat's chest and all eyes were glued to the monitor that beeped slowly twice. "Come on you son of a bitch," John whispered but the monitor flat lined. "Okay, going again. Clear!" The monitor beeped once and then flat lined. Ella sighed and raised her hand to her head as she looked at the man that laid on the table. A man she hadn't said more than two words to. "He's gone," John said as he shook his head. John took one of Goat's tags and stuck it in his vest. Both Samantha and Ella looked at the men around them, but their attention was on the one they knew the best. Ella lowered her hand and sighed. John kicked a cart away and she jumped but he would never frighten her.

"Doctor, you are going to tell me just what the fuck is going on up here," Sarge said as he looked to Samantha.

"What?" she asked.

"Come here. Come here!" Sarge said and Samantha followed him. "This is 'what'." Sarge said as he pulled a bag back. Samantha screamed and Ella frowned and walked over beside her.

"God," Samantha said and Ella gasped.

"Oh my god," Ella said not believing what she saw. A slimy monster laid in the body bag. It looked as though whatever it was, it had been turned inside out. Sarge looked between the two women and Ella's frown only deepened as she looked away.

"Have you found anything like this on your archeological digs?" Sarge asked and Ella shook her head.

"No," Ella said firmly as she looked back at Sarge.

"Is there any way this thing came from the outside from the surface?"

"The planet is completely dead," Ella said.

"It came from somewhere, lady," Portman said and she looked at him.

"Portman, shut up!" Sarge said.

"The atmosphere on the surface can't support life," Samantha explained.

"Maybe it doesn't need air. It could have come from another plant or something," Portman said and Samantha scoffed.

"What? Like an alien?" she asked.

"Look at that thing!" Portman yelled.

"Portman, you need to shut the fuck up!" Sarge yelled.

"That's not what we saw," John said and Ella and the others looked at him. "That isn't what Goat and I shot at in Genetics."

"You telling me there's more of these fucking things?" Portman asked.

"Where are the surface entry points?" Sarge asked and Ella put her hand on her forehead thoroughly confused.

"There's a pressure door at the end of the north corridor," Samantha said.

"Destroyer, Kid, Portman, get there on the double," Sarge said. "Give me an update."

"Yes sir," Destroyer said.

"Whatever this thing is it cannot get back through the Ark," Sarge said. Ella lowered her hand and looked at Samantha who looked at John and then the body bag. Ella then looked at John who was looking at her closely, like he suspected she knew something. "Mac, I want you to arm Pinky with a weapon with some ST grenades and seal the Ark door."

"There's one other door," Ella said and Sarge looked to her.

"Where?" he asked but John beat her to the answer.

"The entrance to the archeological dig," John said slowly and Ella looked at him. Sarge nodded and he and John made to move. Ella caught his arm and John looked down at her.

"You always told me to be careful," she whispered and she saw his eyes soften just a fraction. "So, you be careful and don't let your past haunt you." John gave her a curt nod and looked at Samantha before he followed Sarge from the infirmary.


	5. Chapter 5

Special thanks to those that reviewed. I do hope those of you that are reading are enjoying the story and thanks to all of you for reading!

Disclaimer: I own nothing relating to Doom in anyway.

**

* * *

Chapter 5: It Shouldn't Be**

Ella shook her head as she and Duke wheeled the table that held Goat into the other room. Ella quickly moved into the other room where Samantha was already checking whatever the hell the thing was that the others had brought in. "What is this thing?" Ella asked and Samantha shook her head.

"I don't know, but let's see what we can find out," Samantha said and Ella nodded as she went to pull on gloves. Samantha put her hands over hers and Ella looked up at her. "Not this time, Ella. Could you work on the downloads? I've got three others and the first one to finish." Ella nodded her head and went over to the computer. She began to download when she heard Samantha's whisper. "Shit," the woman said and Ella looked over at her. "Duke," Samantha said and Ella raised an eyebrow. "Hold this open," Samantha said and at that point Ella didn't care anymore as Samantha was referring to the creature's mouth. "Don't be a wuss," Samantha said and Ella stifled a laugh and Duke shot her a glare before he smirked at Samantha and did as she asked. Ella went back to work while Samantha fished her flashlight out of the creature.

"Little tension between you and Reaper?" Duke asked and Ella looked back at the pair to see Duke looking at Samantha.

"We just went our separate ways," Samantha said as she pulled the flashlight out and walked around the table. "Why does a talented student throw it all away and join the RRTS?"

"So, what was he like before?" Duke asked and Ella sighed and put her attention back on the task at hand. She thought of what John was like before he joined RRTS, and the last time she had ever saw him in person.

* * *

"_Why are you doing this John?" Samantha asked as John packed his bag. "You're throwing away a future that would promise you more then the one you're jumping into!" Ella stood in the background as she watched the only people in the world that she cared about fight back and forth. She had had enough of it when she was little and now she was going to have to choose again, and she knew that it didn't matter if she chose a side or not, she was going to lose._

"_Science isn't my calling, Sam," he said as he closed up his bag. "I want this," he said firmly as he turned around and looked at her square in the eye. "Why can't you understand that?" he asked her. Samantha shook her head and walked from the room brushing past Ella in anger. Ella sighed and looked at John. John met her gaze and quickly looked away._

"_John," she said in an almost whisper and walked over to him. "Why **are**__you doing this?" John looked at her and shook his head. "You can tell me John," she took his hand and looked up at him. He sighed and pulled her close. She closed her eyes and embraced him tightly._

"_Ella, you and Sam won't understand," he said heatedly into her dark hair. "I . . . I can't explain it, but you have to know that care about you both so much." Ella sighed and squeezed him a little tighter. They had graduated from college not long ago, and now he was going off to join RRTS and Samantha and her . . . well they were offered a position. One of training and one exactly in their field and she didn't know how to tell him. "Sam's going up to Olduvai and no matter what I say to her, she's going." Ella opened her eyes and pulled back from him. She didn't have to say anything. The second his eyes met hers he knew. She knew he knew. "You're going," he said as he let go of her. She lowered her arms from him and nodded._

"_I've been offered a position and . . . and I've accepted it," she finished in a whisper. The warmth from his face vanished and he glared at her. She felt so cold suddenly and she wrapped her arms around herself. John grabbed his bag and stormed from the room and he never once looked back._

* * *

Ella sighed as the computer beeped and she replaced a disc. That was the last time she had seen him until hours earlier, and she hoped that whatever was happening that he would make it, she couldn't bare to lose him, not again. Suddenly, there was a power surge and Ella's downloads stopped.

"Great, now what?" she asked herself in a whisper and looked to Sam. She didn't see Duke anywhere so she stood. "What's going on?" she asked and Samantha shook her head.

"Stay here, I'm going to see if I can find Duke," Samantha said. Ella nodded and stood by the computer as Samantha disappeared through the nanowall, she just hoped they both would come back soon.

* * *

Reaper stood in the atrium with the others as they waited for Mac. Soon, Mac joined them and they waited for their orders. "We're going back into the airlock," Sarge said.

"We're not calling in backup?" Portman asked as he adjusted his com. Sarge glared at Portman like he was stupid and shook his head.

"The Ark is sealed," he said firmly. "Nothing gets back until everything on this planet is dead. We're going in hot." Reaper nodded and made sure his clip was loaded and checked his equipment.

"You're serious?" Portman asked and everyone looked at him.

"Pick up your weapon, Portman," Reaper said.

"Come on, Portman, move out," Destroyer said.

"Didn't y'all see how that thing greased Goat?" Portman asked. "We don't know what we're dealing with here." Reaper glanced at Sarge who looked from him back to Portman. "It's SOP to call in reinforcements when a situation-"

"We are the reinforcements," Sarge said firmly and Portman shut his mouth but shook his head. Sarge walked over to him and looked at him closely. "Now you shoulder your fucking weapon, soldier." Sarge challenged Portman with his eyes and the blonde man sighed and shouldered his weapon.

"_All UAC personnel evacuated to Earth,"_ the computer's voice said over the intercom. Sarge nodded and the men moved out. As they walked, Reaper found himself thinking of Sam and Ella and hoping that they were safe in the infirmary with Duke.

* * *

Ella felt a knot in her stomach when Samantha hadn't come back yet. She'd only been gone a few minutes, but she was still worried. Suddenly, the nanowall materialized and Samantha appeared but she kept the wall open and was looking out into the corridor. "Sam?" she asked and Samantha put up her hand for her to stay back. Ella stopped walking over and just looked at her curiously. Sam suddenly screamed and Ella jumped back when she heard growling coming in from the corridor then what sounded like Duke grunting. She wanted to go over and help, but she felt frozen.

Gun shots rang out and Ella jumped once again her hands shaking. Of course she hadn't been frightened like that when she went out into the corridors on her own, only because she was looking for someone that she knew would protect her and at that moment he was on the other side of the lab.

"Come on!" Samantha screamed and Ella still couldn't move. Duke was yelling and suddenly came through the nanowall.

"Close it!" he screamed and as Samantha hit the button one of the creatures became frozen inside the nanowall. Duke pulled Samantha down to the floor as something shot out from the creature's mouth and Ella jumped back before she rushed over to them "And that's why I don't do nanowalls," Duke said quietly and she kneeled down next to the pair.

"What the hell just happened?" she asked as she helped Samantha stand. Duke got to his feet and winced as he moved his shoulder. Samantha shook her head and Ella's eyes remained glued on the creature in the nanowall. "Oh god," she said quietly and looked to Samantha who sighed heavily and shook her head once more.

* * *

"Pinky, we're entering the archeological dig," Sarge said over his com as he, Mac, and Reaper walked into the dig site. They moved about and Reaper went on while Mac watched the exit. He moved through the sight and saw the various tools used in the dig with Sarge not far behind. Growling was heard and stones fell at Reapers right and he slowly moved over to where the noise came from. As John neared a window he could hear the echoes of the day he lost his parents echo around him. The crash sounded all too real as he looked out a window. "Is this where it happened?" Sarge asked from behind him and Reaper sighed.

"Did you find the door?" Reaper asked changing the subject quickly. Ella was right, his past shouldn't haunt him but it did, even after all those years passed it still haunted him. Reaper closed the window and sighed once more.

"John?" Sarge asked through the com and Reaper moved quickly to where Sarge had gone and found two dead scientists laying in front of the door. "Clay," Sarge said as he read one name tag. "Thurman," he said as he lifted the other off the floor. "Look at them," Sarge said as they surveyed the scene. "They weren't trying to stop something from getting in. Something stopped them from getting out."

"Mac, stand by," Reaper said over his com while he and Sarge stood near the scientists. "Destroyer, report."

"_We've reached the north airlock,"_ Destroyer's voice said over the com. _"It's secure. Console indicates nothing's come in or out for 26 hours."_ Suddenly, Reaper and Sarge heard growling and then a loud thump.

"Mac?" Reaper asked quietly but they got no response. Sarge moved out first followed closely by Reaper.

"Mac?" Sarge asked but still nothing. "Mac, Mac you copy? Talk to me. Talk to me, Mac." Sarge rounded the last corner and saw Mac's headless body laying on the ground. "Shit," he said as he moved closer with Reaper right behind. Reaper stood at the ready and they both heard growling close by. Reaper looked ahead and saw a large creature move and he began firing. "We're in pursuit. Moving fast out of the dig," Sarge said quickly over his com.

"It's getting away!" Reaper yelled.

"Pinky what do you see?" Sarge asked.

"_It's big. Very big,"_ Pinky said over the com. _"Moving fast towards the lab complex." _Reaper and Sarge moved carefully and quickly through the corridors.

"Clear," Reaper said as he checked a corner. Sarge came around and they both saw blood everywhere.

"It's back in the lab," Sarge said. They entered the chamber and back into the lab.

"Clear!" Reaper shouted as he checked the left side. Sarge moved in and checked the right.

"Clear!" he shouted and sighed as he lowered his weapon. "Damn, it's fast." The others joined them and Sarge brought them in. "All around defense, men."

"Did you get it?" Kid asked. Sarge shook his head.

"Pinky?" Sarge asked.

"_Yes Sarge?"_ Pinky asked.

"Anything gets through that door use an ST grenade. It cannot get back to Earth," Sarge said sternly.

"He pops an ST in there, he's gonna blow the Ark," Portman said.

"Reaper, Kid, pairs, cover formation," Sarge said completely ignoring Portman. "Sweep the corridors. Go." Reaper and Kid moved out. "Destroyer, you and Portman stay here. Shut the airlock. Maintain a perimeter."

"He blows the Ark, how the hell are we supposed to get the fuck home?" Portman asked. Sarge looked at him and glared.

"Portman, shut the fucking door."

"Where you going?" Destroyer asked as Portman moved to close the door.

"I'm going to the armory. I think we're gonna need something with a little bit more kick," Sarge said before he moved out.

* * *

Ella returned to the downloading, but she couldn't help but look at the creature frozen in the wall. Whatever the thing was, she didn't like it and how the hell it got into the station she hadn't the slightest idea. What she had theorized earlier, she figured she had to be wrong. They weren't ready for that stage of testing and she knew that Dr. Carmack knew that, so he wouldn't have tested it out yet. She had given him all her reports and findings and he knew that they were years and years away from testing humans, and why would he test it on his own team? Her thoughts were jumbled and she ignored everything before she moved back to working on the computer.

The lights flickered and Ella looked at Duke and Samantha and winced when Samantha was pulling out the organs, only she gasped when she saw Goat standing on the other side of the window. "Uh, guys?" she asked and pointed behind them. The others turned around and Duke brought up his gun.

"What the fuck?" he asked before Goat suddenly started pounding his head against the glass. As he hit it one last time and slid down the window Ella ran over to the window. Duke put his hand out to hold her back until he looked. He lowered his hand and Ella looked down at the man that was supposed to already be dead.

It all clicked then. Dr. Carmack sending her away to do reports, the Ark activation earlier that week, Dr. Carmack's request for all of her and Hilary's findings, and finally the activation of the holding cell the day before. She shook her head and put her hands on the glass.

"Goat knew he was turning," Samantha said and Ella sighed as she rested her head against the glass. "This thing didn't butcher Willits," Samantha said as she walked over to the table with the creature. "It is Willits."

"What?" Duke asked and Ella closed her eyes as tears fell from them.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered and both Duke and Samantha looked at her. "They weren't supposed to do human testing, _ever_!" she shouted as she pushed herself up from the glass. "It wasn't even close to being ready!" Samantha frowned but Ella just shook her head and ran into the storage room of the infirmary where she closed the door and slid down the other side and rested her forehead on her knees. "This wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered as the tears fell from her eyes and she locked herself away from the others. She helped in creating those monsters. It was partly her fault that Goat and her colleagues were dead, and she didn't know if she could live with herself.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Doom.

**

* * *

Chapter 6: The Truth**

"_Dr. Carmack," Ella said as she sat the files down on his desk and he looked up at her. "We're not close enough for testing C24 on humans. We have the basic components, but we don't know what the results would be. It isn't safe. We should do at least another year of testing our combination on -," Dr. Carmack stood and shook his head._

"_I know that Ella," he said and gave her a small smile. Ella returned it as he walked around the table. "Now, I just want to go over your and Hilary's findings is all." He patted her shoulder and grasped the files before he made his way out of his office. He stopped short of the door and turned to look at her. "Dr. Henderson expects you tomorrow morning for the quarterly reports." Ella nodded._

"_Of course Dr. Carmack," she said and Dr. Carmack gave her a smile before he opened the door for her and she walked out and down the corridors towards archeology to finish her categorizing._

* * *

Ella sniffed and pushed her glasses up on top of her head. She rubbed her face and dried her tears as she rested her head against the door. It still didn't make sense to her. C24 didn't make Lucy a monster, so why did it turn the others into monsters? And why did Dr. Carmack test C24 on the team in the first place when he knew that it wasn't ready for human testing in the first place?

"_Ella?"_ Sam said as she knocked but Ella just sighed and closed her eyes. _"Ella, it's alright. You don't know what was going on. You know as much as I do," _Samantha said through the door and Ella shook her head and opened her eyes only to look at the shelves across from her. She heard Samantha sigh and her footsteps go into the other room.

"I know more than you think Sam," she said in a whisper.

* * *

Reaper was walking through the corridors with Kid when suddenly Portman was screaming over the com. They starting running and looking through the various areas before Reaper called over his com. "Pinky, you got Portman?" he asked as they yelled.

"_No,"_ came Pinky's voice and Reaper sighed as they ran. Portman's screams continued and soon, Reaper and Kid found him hanging from the ceiling in the bathroom, being attacked by one of the creatures. They shot at it and caused it to drop Portman to the ground. Sarge came in and fired a large weapon that emitted a bright blue wave as it fired. The heat was immense and they had to shield their eyes.

"Holy shit," Sarge said as he looked down at the large gun in his hands. Kid walked over to Portman and kneeled down on the ground to feel for a pulse, but soon shook his head.

"He's gone," he said as he looked back at Sarge and Reaper. Reaper sighed and lowered his head. He may not have been close to Portman, but he had worked with him for a long time.

"Grab him and we'll head back to the infirmary to regroup. We lost Destroyer too," Sarge said and Reaper closed his eyes. Half the team was gone and now it was up to them to figure out just what the hell was going on.

* * *

Samantha set up the IV on the creature stuck in the nanowall. Ella had yet to come out of the storage closet and Samantha feared for her. The more she thought about it, she figured Ella's reaction earlier had to have stemmed from something. Maybe she knew something but what she did know wasn't making any sense. Suddenly, the door behind her, near the storage room door opened. Samantha and Duke looked to see Sarge carrying in a dead Destroyer. Duke stiffened and looked shocked.

"Destroyer?" he asked as he moved over to Sarge and took the fallen solider.

"And Portman," John said as he laid the man down on one of the tables.

"What the fuck happened, man?" Duke asked as he lowered himself and Destroyer to the ground. Tears came to the marine's eyes and he shook his head. "Destroyer, I got you man," he said quietly and shook his head. Sarge looked around the room and frowned. He stood near the nanowall and looked at Samantha.

"What the hell is this?" Sarge asked quickly. "And whose goddamn blood in on that window?"

"Goat's," Sam said with tears in her eyes. Sarge looked at the window and then back at Samantha like she had grown another head. "He killed himself."

"What do you mean, he killed himself? He was already dead," Sarge said.

"It's true. It's Goat," Duke said from the floor. "He was changing into one of these motherfuckers and he killed himself."

"We found two more scientists at the dig," John said. "Thurman and a balding guy with glasses."

"Dr. Clay," Samantha said as she walked over and looked at Portman's neck. "Did you check their necks?" she asked and John looked at her. "Were there open wounds on their necks?"

"We were conducting a firefight, not an autopsy," John said quickly.

"We came up here to find six scientists," Sarge said loudly and everyone looked at him. Samantha moved over and checked Destroyer's neck and found nothing. She looked at Duke who looked crestfallen and she sighed. "Four are known dead and Dr. Willits is probably KIA somewhere down in that sewer. The only one missing is Dr. Carmack. Has Dr. Carmack showed up yet?"

"Oh, he's shown up all right," Duke said. Samantha stood and pointed at the creature in the nanowall.

"Look at the left ear," she said. Sarge looked and found it ripped away and bleeding slightly just as Dr. Carmack's had hours before.

"Son of a bitch," Sarge said.

"I think this other one is Steve Willits," Samantha said as she walked over to the table. "I'm going to run a DNA test and check it against his med records."

"What are you people working on up here?" Sarge asked quickly and John looked around. Ella was gone and he frowned.

"We're analyzing bones, artifacts. We're not doing anything like this," Samantha said.

"Then what the fuck is that?" Sarge demanded of Samantha and she shook her head.

"It must be a genetic mutation, something environmental or viral," she said quickly. "I don't know. It may even be reversible."

"It's irreversible," Sarge said with a glare.

"Not necessarily," Samantha said.

"Dr. Carmack's condition is irreversible." Sarge pulled out his gun and walked over to the wall.

"No!" Samantha screamed as Sarge fired his gun into Dr. Carmack's mouth.

"Because Carmack's condition is that he's dead," Sarge said and John sighed. "Kid, you and Duke get back to the dig and you make sure those other dead scientists are really dead." Sarge looked at Samantha. "I've lost four soldiers," he said dangerously. "What are you people experimenting with up here? I'm not going to ask you again."

"I told you, it's an archeological research center," Samantha said. "Do you think I'm lying to you? Is that what you're saying?" she asked quickly when Sarge gave her an accusatory glance. "You think I'm hiding something? I'm telling the truth."

"What were you downloading?" John asked as he stepped away from Ella. "What were you sent to protect?"

"The research data," Samantha said desperately.

"Research into what?" he asked and they heard a door open behind them. Sarge and Reaper drew their guns and turned to see Ella standing there looking worse for wear. Her shoulder blade length hair was down and her eyes were red and swollen behind her glasses. Sarge and John lowered their weapons.

"Samantha doesn't know anything," Ella said with a sniff. "They sent her to collect the data because they believed that I was also in the lab when the lockdown occurred. I don't know what led up to the lock down," she said and took a deep breath, "but I do know that Dr. Carmack had wanted to do testing . . . he wanted to do human testing of C24." Samantha frowned and John looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and Sarge hadn't the slightest idea what she was talking about. Ella took one of the discs from her pocket and walked over to the computer. "This is the most recent data, data from earlier today while I was out of the lab. I don't know what they did when Dr. Carmack sent me away, so anything you see is new to me too." She said as she began to open the files.

"Ella," John said quietly and she looked up at him. "What are you talking about?" She frowned and hoped that he wouldn't think her responsible for what had happened.

"After we found Lucy, we broke down the artificial compound of C24," she said and John raised an eyebrow, but she continued. "We succeeded in making an exact replica of the compound, we were going to test the compound on a few of the animals, but Dr. Carmack . . . Dr. Carmack wanted to pursue human testing. I knew we were far away from being able to do that. There was no safe way to do it. After long hours of meetings and proving to Dr. Carmack that it wasn't ready he agreed, but now I'm not so sure he actually listened to me." Ella felt her eyes fill with tears and one escaped and rolled down her cheek. She looked away from John then and at the computer as it finished uploading. Soon with Sarge and Samantha near them the images began playing.

Dr. Carmack and the others appeared on the screen and Dr. Carmack injected a clear liquid into a man that was strapped to a table. A man neither Ella nor Samantha ever saw. _"Subject was injected with study agent at 00:03,"_ Dr. Carmack said. Sarge looked to Ella whose frown only deepened and she shook her head. _"Vitals normal, elevated heart rate attributable to subject anxiety. C24 successfully grafted to subject's marker cells at 00:09."_

"He reconstructed chromosome mutation on a human subject," John said. Samantha shook her head and looked to Sarge.

"We were never gonna do human studies," Samantha said and Ella sighed.

"This wasn't supposed to happen, he knew it wasn't ready!" Ella said as she glared at the screen.

"What the hell are we looking at?" Sarge asked. John sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Genesis, Chapter 1," John said and Ella looked to Samantha who took her hand and squeezed it.

"I didn't know," Ella whispered and Samantha nodded.

"I know," Samantha whispered back and Ella sighed as she ran her free hand through her hair and looked back at the screen.

"_Subject moved to protected observation area at 00:17," _Dr. Carmack said over the screen. _"Subject: Curtis Stahl. Crime: Multiple murder. Status: Condemned to execution."_ Stahl suddenly lifted from the gurney and cried out. Ella let go of Samantha's hand and put her face in her hands. Samantha walked around John and Ella and picked up one of the vials. Ella lowered her hands and sighed.

"Chromosome 24," Samantha said and John looked to the screen.

"Oh, my God," he said quietly and looked to Ella who shook her head once more.

"_Forty-nine minutes after injection genetic mutations began to visually manifest on subject's extremities," _Dr. Carmack said as Stahl continued to scream. Ella closed her eyes and looked away from John as he shook his head and removed the disc ending the showing of the data.

"This is what you're here to protect," John said to Samantha before he looked to Ella. "And you, you helped develop this?" he asked and Ella bit her lip before she took a deep breath and looked at John with pleading eyes.

"They were never supposed to test the compound on humans, it wasn't supposed to happen so quickly," Ella said. "It doesn't make any sense. They shouldn't have done this."

"You trusted them," John said to Ella as he looked at her. "They lied to you, to you both," he said as he looked to Samantha and then back at Ella. "They used you."

"If he perfected xenogenesis-," Samantha started and Ella frowned.

"Christ, don't you get it?" John interrupted. "It's this place. It's hell. It always was." Samantha sighed and looked away and John walked back over to the computer station. "This shit ends here." He started to gather the discs.

"What are you doing?" Sarge asked.

"We need to destroy these discs," John said.

"That's UAC property." John looked at Sarge and frowned.

"Fuck UAC, we take this back, they'll just-"

"We take the data back," Sarge said as he grabbed John's wrist and took the data from him.

"Sarge, do you not see what's going on here?"

"I didn't see shit," Sarge said firmly and John frowned. Ella walked over to Samantha and Samantha sighed before she looked back to the men. "And I ain't paid to see shit. I have my orders, and so do you. Is this everything?" Sarge asked Samantha who just looked at him. "I said, is this everything?" Sarge asked louder.

"I, uh, have two more to download," she stumbled and Ella nodded.

"Then do it," Sarge said.

"_Sarge,"_ Kid's voice came over the com. _"We got a problem."_


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry it took so long to update! Life gets crazy everyonce in awhile, but I'll do my best to update soon!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Doom.

**

* * *

Chapter 7: Things are Getting Crazier**

Ella sighed and shook her head as she read over the data they had already downloaded while Samantha worked on the final two. "One of the scientists are missing," Sarge said and Ella looked up. "We move, Reaper, now," Sarge said and turned to leave the infirmary. Ella looked at John and she suddenly found herself not wanting him to go.

"You just wanna leave them here?" John asked and Sarge stopped, turned, and looked at him where he stood next to Samantha.

"They've got a job to do," Sarge said. John sighed and shook his head before he turned to Samantha.

"Look," he started as he opened one of his pouches. "This is Portman's comm. You call if you need help, okay?" Samantha nodded and John watched his sister and Ella found a part of her wanting him to just look her way. "You gonna be all right?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," Samantha whispered and Ella sighed.

"Okay, I'll see you soon," he told her and Samantha nodded. He turned to leave when Ella stood quickly and stopped him.

"John," she said quietly and glanced at Samantha to see her working and Sarge was already out in the corridor waiting. She looked back at him and took a deep breath. "Please John, be careful. We still really don't know what's going on and how these people are changing and . . ." she trailed off not really certain where she was going with what she was trying to say, so, she thought it best to show him. She raised up and put her hand on the back of his head. She pulled his face towards hers and before he even knew what she was doing she kissed him softly. She held her lips to his for only a second before she pulled back and looked up at him, a deep blush on her cheeks. There was a slight color to John's as well, but barely even noticeable. He just looked at her slightly confused. "Don't die okay," she said in a whisper before she turned from him and went over to help Samantha. She didn't look back at him and when she looked at Samantha the smirk that was on the other woman's face only confirmed that she knew what just happened.

* * *

Reaper watched Ella walk away and suddenly he felt his resolve tighten and he followed Sarge out into the corridor. "Pinky, are there? Pinky?" Sarge asked over his comm.

"_Sarge? Something is cutting through the Ark door,"_ came Pinky's slightly shaky voice of the comm.

"You have a visual?" Sarge asked as they moved through the corridors.

"_Oh, I got a visual all right,"_ Pinky said.

"Don't let it get to the Ark!" Sarge yelled. Suddenly, the computer's voice began the countdown for the Ark's activation. "Pinky, use the grenade!" Sarge yelled as Reaper and he began to run down the corridor towards the Ark door. "Use the goddamn grenade! Throw it!" Kid and Duke joined them as the lights dimmed and the Ark was activated. They ran down the stairs and into the corridor that led to the Ark door. A giant whole was cut through the heavy metal door and they made their way cautiously into the main room. "Pinky's gone. That fucker ran," Sarge said as Duke came through the door.

"Shit," Duke said and Reaper leaned down and picked up the unactivated grenade with a sigh. "It got through." Power suddenly went down and all four men raised their guns. "What the hell is that?" Duke asked.

"_System reboot,"_ came the computer's voice and the men looked around cautiously. _"Time required to begin renewed operation: five minutes."_

"Quarantine cordon is breached," Sarge said. "This mission is no longer containment. Get all the weapons and ammo you can. We're going through. Move!" Sarge said.

"Sam come in, over," Reaper said as he walked to the door. When she didn't answer he tried again. "Sam, do you read me? Over. Come in!" he said and looked to Sarge. His stomach sunk because he worried something happened to his sister or to . . . to Ella. "She's not answering," he said.

"_Time required to begin renewed operation: four minutes and forty-five seconds,"_ came the computer's voice once more. Reaper looked to Sarge again and Sarge nodded.

"You got three," Sarge said and Reaper nodded before he quickly made his way through the corridors calling for Sam or Ella to answer the comm.

* * *

"Try this now," Ella said as she handed the tongs that held one of the cotton balls. She needed to test her theory to see if what she had made of the situation was right. The tongue that laid on the table jumped and made a hissing noise causing both women to jump away.

"Holy shit, you were right. It's choosing," Samantha said and Ella sighed. It made things easier but complicated at the same time to now know why the monster went after certain people and not others.

"So, not everyone will be infected," Ella reasoned and Samantha nodded. "Will they believe us?" Ella asked and Samantha shrugged.

"John will, I'm sure of it, but Sarge . . . that's another story." Ella nodded and at Just the mention of John's name sent her cheeks blushing, but Samantha never said a word. Suddenly, the doors opened and in walked a distressed looking John.

"Sam! Ella!" he said. "Sam, why didn't you answer your comm? We gotta go now!" He ran over to the table where Samantha and Ella stood but Ella shook her head.

"Why did they take Goat and not Destroyer?" Ella asked and John looked at her. "Why Carmack and not Dr. Thurman?" she asked and John shook his head and looked at her like she was crazy.

"What?" he asked and Ella sighed as she pushed some of her dark hair from her face and behind her ears.

"Lucy had the twenty-fourth chromosome but she wasn't a monster," Samantha said quickly and Ella nodded.

"She died protecting her child, not devouring it," Ella said firmly. "Why did the same chromosome that made her superhuman turn Stahl into a monster?" All the while the two women talked, John kept checking over his shoulder.

"Let's go!" John said firmly.

"Just give her a minute!" Samantha exclaimed and John looked at her.

"We don't have a minute!" he said and Ella sighed.

"Then give us ten seconds," she said calming and John looked at her. Samantha looked at Ella and she nodded. Since, she didn't have gloves on Samantha would do the demonstration. "This is its tongue," Ella said as she pointed at it while Samantha picked up one of the prepared cotton balls.

"This is brain matter from Portman," Samantha said and dragged the cotton ball above the tongue. Just as it had before the tongue jumped up and hissed causing all three to jump slightly. "This is from Destroyer," Samantha said as she ran a second cotton ball above the tongue. Nothing happened and John looked at the two of them.

"It's choosing John," Ella said and John's eyes moved to her, his brow furrowed. "It's choosing who to infect." John looked back at the tongue on the table.

"It's choosing?" he asked and then looked back up at Ella while Samantha moved away. "How is it choosing?"

"There are genetic markers for psychotic and violent behavior," Ella said as she pushed on her glasses.

"It could be a specific neurotransmitter it's picking up on, a ganglion," Samantha said. Ella turned and looked at Samantha while she talked. She filled up a tube of C24 and Ella looked back at John.

"It's latching onto numbers," Ella said. "Numbers in the DNA code linked to-,"

"Linked to what?" John asked like they were crazy. "Evil?"

"Ten percent of the human genome is still unmapped," Ella said.

"Some say it's the genetic blueprint for the soul," Samantha said as she walked over to them.

"Maybe C24 is what destroyed the population," Ella said quietly. _"And I helped create more that is bound to do more damage than good," _she thought dryly.

"It would explain the building of the Ark," Samantha said. "Some it made superhuman, others monsters."

"Oh my God," John said quietly and Ella looked at him. His eyes met hers heatedly.

"We gotta get out of here now," he said.

"What?" Samantha asked. John shook his head and grabbed Ella's hand.

"Come on, let's go, come on," he said as he let go of Ella's hand and Samantha followed.

"John, what's going on?" Ella asked.

"The people quarantined on the other side of the Ark they won't all be infected!" John said.

"What's going on?" Ella demanded again and John stopped and looked at her.

"Sarge is going to kill them all," John said and Ella gasped and shook her head. "Come on."

"John, slow down," Ella said as she struggled to follow him once they left the lab. John slowed and looked at her over his shoulder.

"We have to move Ella," he said as he slowed and took her hand once more. If he had to he would drag her to the Ark. They had to stop Sarge from killing everyone.

Soon, they arrived at the Ark portal and Ella's stomach was already in a knot. She hated using the Ark. She'd only done it once and that was when she had gone up to the station, she just hoped it was a little bit easier going home. John activated the Ark and the three of them made their way over and soon where sucked in and landed easily enough back on Earth.

Ella sighed and put her hand on her stomach. She was queasy but it wasn't from using the Ark. Every person that would have been there had they traveled through earlier laid dead and she shook her head.

"Oh, my God," John said and Samantha sighed as she looked around shocked. "Sarge, what's your position?" he asked quickly over his comm. "Sarge," John said again as the three of them began to move out. "Sarge, come in. Do you copy?" he asked again and Ella sighed and took Samantha's hand. The other woman squeezed it, but they were both ready for anything to jump at them. "Come in Sarge. Do you read me? Over. Sarge come in do you copy?" Ella figured he finally responded when John relaxed slightly.

"Look, do not kill everybody," John said as they rounded a corner and Ella let go of Samantha. "I repeat, do not kill everybody. They're not all infected. Do you copy?" He must have heard because John sighed and motioned them back into the Ark chamber. After a few minutes Sarge came walking into the room with his gun in his hands. Ella walked over to him.

"You don't have to kill all of them," she said quickly. "I don't think everyone is infected, or even capable of being infected." Sarge looked at her with a slight glare.

"We have orders to contain this threat by any means necessary," Sarge said. Ella went to protest when John beat her to it.

"So let's evacuate the uninfected," John said quickly, "and blow this place to hell." The three looked at him and Ella nodded as she looked back at Sarge.

"And we have orders to protect this facility," Sarge said as he looked at John.

"We don't have orders to kill innocent people," John hissed. Samantha watched the two men just as closely as Ella was. It seemed the two of them were challenging each other and they both had a hard time trying to figure out who would win.

"We have to stop anything from getting to the surface," Sarge said, "by any means necessary." John looked at Sarge and Ella shook her head.

"You don't have to-," she started but stopped when Sarge looked at her. She stepped back and he was about to say something when Duke came into the room.

"Found this little chicken shit hiding under a pile of dead bodies," Duke said and everyone looked his way. Pinky wheeled up behind him.

"Am I glad to see you guys," Pinky said. Ella sighed and rushed over to him. "That thing cut right through the door," he said and Sarge looked at him skeptically. "I tried to use the grenade but it came at me too fast." Ella checked his neck carefully. Pinky looked at her before he looked back at Sarge. "Followed me through the Ark and started to kill everybody. It was horrible."

"There's wound on his neck," Ella said as she walked over to Sarge and looked up at him. "He's clean," she said as she stopped in front of him. Sarge glared down at her and out of the corner of her she saw John step forward half a step. Sarge leaned down and Ella leaned back.

"I say who's clean," he said in a whisper and Ella frowned, "and who's not," he finished as he turned from her and cocked his gun. Ella looked down and slowly looked up to see John looking at her.

"It wasn't my fault," Pinky said quickly. "Hey, I'm not a soldier. You shouldn't have left me-," Pinky was interrupted.

"Sarge!" Kid said as he came running into the room. Everyone looked at him. "There's a storeroom to the south," he said as he tried to catch his breath. "It's got, like, twenty people holed up inside of it. We gotta do something." Sarge glared at Kid and frowned.

"Your orders were to clear that sector," Sarge said and Ella looked at him. "Is it cleared?" Kid frowned and looked at Sarge like he was crazy.

"No, I told them to stay put," Kid said. "They're okay. They're just scared shitless."

"We kill them all," Sarge said. John looked at him and Ella shook her head. "Let God sort them out."

"You can't do that!" Ella exclaimed and Sarge looked at her with a deadly glare, but Kid took the heat away from her.

"This is wrong. I think-," he started but Sarge looked back at him.

"Son, you don't think!" Sarge shouted. "That's an order." The tension in the area was so thick Ella could actually feel it pushing down on her. Sarge was hanging onto sanity by a hair and she didn't know what would set him off. "We're in the field soldier." John shook his head.

"Sarge, if nothings found on them-," John started but once again Sarge interrupted.

"You will obey the direct order," Sarge said towards Kid and John stopped, "of your commanding officer." Kid shook his head.

"No," Kid said and Duke, Samantha, John, and Ella looked at Kid.

"Now," Sarge said.

"Go to hell," Kid said as he threw his gun down. Without hesitation Sarge raised his gun and shot Kid right in the throat.

"No!" John, Ella, and Sam shouted at the same time. The three ran over to Kid.

"Holy shit," Duke said. Ella and Samantha kneeled down next to him and Ella took his hand blood was spurting everywhere and John covered Kid's wound with his hand to stop the bleeding, but it just came out of his mouth. He was downing in his own blood. Ella squeezed his hand so he would know he wasn't alone.

"Mutinous insurrection is punishable by death," Sarge said and Ella looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"It was his first mission!" John screamed and Ella's eyes moved to him. He was visibly shaken and at that moment she saw the man she knew so well.

"And it's not gonna be my last," Sarge said. "I need soldiers," Sarge said and Ella watched as John looked back at Kid. "I don't need anybody else but soldiers!" Sarge shouted. Samantha stood and took Ella with her as she walked over to Duke who gently nudged both women behind him. Ella's eyes were trained on John and she watched as he closed Kid's eyes and stood. He picked up his gun and turned to Sarge.

The challenge was back in his eyes only that time it was fiercer and there was determination and even hatred in his eyes, something she had never seen before and hoped to never see again.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Doom.

**

* * *

Chapter 8: I know you, I love you**

Ella stood there watching the exchange between John and Sarge when suddenly the sound of a gun cocking echoed. Her eyes moved to Pinky who was pointing a pistol at Sarge and John. "Drop your weapons," he said quickly and Duke pulled Samantha and her back even further. "I mean it. I have no intention of being killed by a madman. Drop your weapons." A shadow moved behind him and Ella gasped quietly when she heard snarling drawing closer. "Ah, there's something behind me, isn't there?" Pinky asked before a loud growl was heard and a hand clamped down on the man's face. Ella let out a scream and Sam put her arm around her as Duke covered Samantha and lowered them to the ground. John and Sarge fired at the creature but it swung Pinky and his wheelchair like a rag doll. Ella saw the chair strike John and her eyes widened.

"John!" she yelled as she ran from Samantha and Duke and over to him where he had been thrown against a wall. Sarge fired at the creature as it dragged Pinky away and Ella raised a trembling hand to John's face. "John, are you alright?" she asked in a whisper and he looked at her with confusion on his face.

"Get back, stay with Sam," he said as he came into focus.

"On me!" Sarge yelled as he followed the creature with Duke right behind him.

"John, are you sure you're alright?" she asked again, not really caring that a creature that had the potential to wipe out the entire human race, let alone kill her was walking around the corridors as well as however many people it turned already. John sighed and nodded as he slowly stood.

"I'm fine, now stay with Sam," he said as he made his way down the corridor. Ella sighed and walked over to Sam. Ella sniffed and sighed as she looked at her best friend, who looked just as scared if not more as what Ella felt. Ella heard John say something and she turned and saw Duke coming back towards them.

"Come on, stay close," he said as he took Samantha's hand. Samantha turned and grabbed Ella's hand as the three followed the others. Duke stopped near a cleared corner by the nanowall and put the two women against the solid wall. "Wait here," he whispered and they nodded.

"Sam, do you think they're okay?" she asked and Samantha sighed.

"I don't know, Ella," she said quietly and Ella nodded before she squeezed Samantha's hand. Samantha only squeezed it harder as they waited for something, anything to happen. Then it did. Screeching echoed off the walls and Ella jumped. Gunshots soon followed and Ella's heart pounded with every shot.

"Withdraw!" they heard Sarge yell. "Withdraw behind the nanowall!" More gunshots and screeches followed and Ella closed her eyes.

"Move!" Duke's voice echoed followed by John's.

"Magazine! Magazine!" John yelled and Ella opened her eyes hoping to see him run through the nanowall. It seemed like it took forever for the three of them to come through the wall, and Ella wondered just how many things were chasing them. The three of them continued to fire through the nanowall and Sarge hit the button so hard that it caused the wall to malfunction. Ella watched on with wide eyes. "Fuck! The wall's not closing!" Ella felt her stomach drop and she looked over to Duke, he was firing into the wall a little further back, but was standing on a grate.

"Duke!" Ella yelled as she let go of Samantha and ran over to him, but she was too late. Duke had been pulled through the grate. Samantha screamed and Ella moved back to her friend with tears in her eyes. Suddenly, Sarge was grabbed through the nanowall and was pulled down on the ground. His body was three quarters of the way through the wall when John looked down at Sarge.

"I'm not supposed to die," Sarge said sounding strained before he was pulled through the wall. John resumed firing and looked at Ella and Samantha.

"Let's go!" he shouted. Samantha and Ella were emotional wrecks and when Ella saw John jump slightly and groan she didn't know what happened. John grabbed Ella and Ella grabbed Samantha before he dragged the two women down the corridor.

* * *

The three were breathless as they created a barrier in front of the door. As the stacked the last piece of equipment on top Samantha spoke up. "How long before they get through?" she asked and Ella watched as John sighed.

"Not long," he said as he leaned against the barrier.

"You've been hit," Samantha said alarmed. John walked over towards the lockers and Ella walked over to him and grabbed his arm to help him sit down.

"Oh, John," she said quietly as she kneeled next to him with tears in her eyes. Ella sat on his right side and Samantha on his left. Samantha began to go through his utility items and Ella watched him carefully. He looked pale and in pain. Samantha took out a syringe but Ella was too busy looking at John.

"Listen to me," John said as he looked at Ella and met her eyes. He started shaking slightly and she raised her hands to his face.

"You're cold, and shivering," she said quietly and he closed his eyes.

"It's important," John whispered as he opened his eyes. Ella looked at Samantha to see her filling the syringe with a clear liquid. "This is an ST grenade," he said as he held out the small black device to her. She took it and looked at him with confused eyes. "When they come through you pop the top and hit the button." Ella frowned. "Pop the top and hit the button," he repeated weakly. Samantha was rolling up his sleeve and Ella shook her head.

"John, stay awake. Don't you leave me," she said her voice shaking slightly. "Stay awake. John, please," she begged cursing herself as tears fell down her cheeks. John blinked and panted heavily. Surprisingly, Samantha was staying calm and rational, and it was good one of them was. John looked at her and Ella raised a hand to the left side of his face. Feeling what Samantha was doing, John looked away and at his sister.

"What's that?" he asked as she was about to give him a shot. Ella lowered her hand and looked at Samantha.

"It's C24, from Carmack's lab," Samantha said and Ella's felt relief fill her.

"No," John said as he pulled his arm away from Samantha.

"It could safe you," Samantha said.

"No way, forget it," John said as firmly as he could.

"You're bleeding to death," Ella whispered and he looked at her. He looked like he wanted to cry, but knowing John, he wouldn't.

"No way, Ella," he whispered and she took his right hand into hers. "I've done some bad things."

"I know you," she whispered as she squeezed his hand gently.

"You don't know me. Neither of you do," he said and Ella shook her head. "You don't know."

"You took care of me so many times, protected me, I know you John. I love you," she confessed and John just looked at her. Samantha smiled. She knew her brother, just as Ella did and she knew that he wouldn't turn into a monster. Samantha readied his arm and just about gave him the injection when he stopped them again.

"Wait," John said as he let go of Ella's hand. He took his handgun out from its hustler and looked at Ella. "If I should turn into one of those demons, on through the heart, one through the head, don't you hesitate. Okay?" he asked and Ella shook her head as she lowered the gun.

"We won't have to," she said confidently. John looked at her and then at Samantha. He was shivering as Samantha put the needle in his arm. Ella leaned into him and kissed his right cheek. "I love you," she whispered again before she moved back slightly. John looked at her and then sighed heavily. His eyes grew wide and he slowly slid down the wall and fell over. Ella looked at Samantha and then at John.

"He'll be alright, Ella," Samantha said and Ella nodded.

"I know," she whispered and looked at her friend, "but do you think we'll be?" she asked and Samantha looked to the door when a loud bang echoed through the room. Ella jumped and looked as well.

"I don't know," she said quietly as another bang echoed through the room. Ella looked back at John and sighed before she took the grenade and gun in hand and stood. Samantha did the same and the two women readied to face whatever hand fate was about to deal them.


	9. Chapter 9

**Please Read: **Sorry it took me forever to update, it's been crazy. Thank you to those that reviewed and to those that have read this story. Don't worry, I'm far from done. I'll do my very best to update very soon for you!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Doom.

**

* * *

Chapter 9: Almost Home**

Samantha looked at Ella as another pound sounded on the door. "Give me those," Samantha said and she took the gun and the grenade.

"Why?" Ella asked quietly.

"Stay here, Ella, and hide." Ella frowned.

"Are you insane? How in the hell can you tell me to do that?" Ella asked and Samantha sighed. Ella took the grenade from her. "If you're going to face them, then I'm going to too. John would kill me if I let anything happen to you."

"And you won't think he won't do the same to me?" Samantha asked. Ella frowned but jumped as another pound sounded. "Don't tell me you think you're confession was one sided? John's loved you for so long, Ella; I knew it was just a matter of time before one of you confessed. Now, stay here and wait for him to wake up." Another pound sounded and the two looked at the door before Samantha looked back at Ella. "Hide, Ella, now!" Samantha shouted and pushed Ella away. Ella met her friend's eyes and sighed before she did as her friend said and hid away.

Ella closed her eyes tightly and held onto the grenade as she heard the door push open and then the gun firing followed by roaring. When it became quiet she looked out. Samantha was gone and John still laid where he had been. Ella sighed and kneeled next to him. She ran trembling fingers through his short hair and sighed.

"Oh, John, what mess have I gotten all of us into?" she asked quietly. "I should have never agreed to work on it. I should have left when I had the chance. I should have," she paused and sighed, "I should have done many things." A roar echoed somewhere and she jumped and closed her eyes briefly before she looked down at him once more. "John, if I don't make it, take care of Sam, she needs you no matter how stubborn she is." She leaned down and kissed his unmoving lips. She pulled back and sighed. "Always remember that I love you," she finished before she stood and moved to the door and out into the darkened corridors.

* * *

John woke feeling slightly groggy. He blinked and looked around the room with a frown. "Ella?" he asked and when she didn't respond his heart fell. "Sam?" he called and no one answered. He stood and looked about the room. It was empty. He walked over to a mirror and frowned as he wiped away at the blood on his face. There was no cut where there once had been and he snarled as he turned. He hoisted his gun and loaded it. He had two women he had to find and get them out of there and fast.

* * *

Every corner Ella turned her heart raced. Luckily, she had managed to stay hidden, but not unharmed. She had a large gash in her shoulder and few scrapes on her face thanks to one of the demons, one she had blown up with the grenade. Also, her glasses were a loss, but she could see well enough to know when something unfriendly was coming her way. She was nearing the elevator and as she rounded a corner she stumbled. She was dizzy and her arm burned. "Ella!" she heard a familiar voice shout and she looked up and saw Samantha stumbling down the corridor only to fall to the floor.

"Sam," she whispered before she moved over to her friend as quickly as her dizzying mind would let her. She kneeled next to her and automatically looked at her neck, thankful to find no wound on her neck, even though she knew there would have been one. Ella sighed and moved so she was sitting next to her friend and she laid against the wall. She closed her eyes and finally gave into her dizziness.

* * *

John sighed quietly as he left the room that now held the dead body of a transformed Pinky. "Sam, Ella," he said quietly, but loud enough for them to hear if they were near. He lowered his gun slightly and looked up at the elevator clock. They were still on lockdown, but for less than two minutes and he hadn't the slightest clue how many, if any, of those things were still alive or if Sam and Ella were even alive. His test tightened slightly at the thought, but he had to remain focused.

He looked around and the floor was littered with dead bodies and a warped blue mass that only signaled to John that Sarge had been there. He moved from where he stood, gun at the ready, and looked around the area. He rounded the corner and something caught his eye and he looked down, surprised to see Samantha laying there as well as Ella, who was propped up against the wall. He swallowed hard when he saw the gash on Ella's arm and the few scrapes that were on her face, but was relieved to see not much else was wrong. He looked down at Samantha and saw she had a bad injury to her leg, but she looked all right despite the wound.

"Sam," he said as he touched her head and she opened her eyes and glanced at him.

"You're alive," she whispered and John shook his head.

"John?" a tired voice asked softly and his eyes shot up and met a pair of tired blue ones that were no longer hidden behind dark framed glasses.

"Shh, don't talk," he said quickly and both women went silent.

"Last man standing, Reaper," a voice said from behind him. John looked over his shoulder and glared at Sarge. Ella and Sam both looked up with wide eyes to see a man that was supposed to be dead. "I think they need medical attention," he said as he looked them over carefully. John's eyes only narrowed more when he saw the wound on Sarge's neck. It was obvious to Sam and Ella that the man was changing and he wasn't about to do what Goat had done.

"Can you get to the elevator?" John asked quietly.

"I'm not sure," Samantha said quietly as she moved to prop herself up. Ella shifted and winced.

"Try," John said as he stood.

"I can help you," Ella whispered to her friend, but found herself falling back. Sam shook her head but Ella persisted and stood slightly. "I'm going to help you, we've got to get out of here," Ella said and helped Samantha move across the floor. She could feel Sarge's eyes on them as they moved around the corner and Ella looked back to see John moving slowly and looking at Sarge intently, but soon she turned her eyes ahead and the task at helping her friend.

"Where are the survivors that Kid found?" John asked and Sarge looked from the women that disappeared around the corner to John. He shook his head.

"I took care of that problem," Sarge said. "Quarantine's almost over. Power should be back on any minute." Samantha groaned slightly and Ella frowned.

"Come on, Sam," Ella whispered as she helped Samantha stand. Samantha whimpered and Ella winced as she put Samantha's weight on her injured arm. "It's alright, I'm strong," she said to encourage Samantha to rest her weight on her, which the woman did and with a little bit of a struggle, Ella got them close to the elevator.

"You killed the Kid," John said as he looked back at Sarge from Ella and Sam.

"We're all killers, Reaper," Sarge said like it was the simplest thing in the world. "It's what they pay us for."

"_Quarantine complete. Elevators back on line,"_ a computer voice said over the speaker and Ella opened the elevator door. She got Samantha inside and sat her down. She looked at Samantha's leg and frowned.

"I'll be alright," Samantha said tiredly. "Thank you," she said and Ella smiled and nodded her head, although the dizziness was returning.

"What are friends for?" she asked and Samantha sighed.

"Where's John?" Samantha asked and Ella shook her head.

"He's still out there," she said and she looked through the open door to see John standing where she had last seen him. Only he raised his gun slightly and Ella swallowed hard.

"What's going on?" Samantha asked in a whisper and Ella shook her head and blinked her eyes a few times, hoping her slightly disadvantaged sight was playing tricks on her. Suddenly a blue mass appeared and Ella gasped as she saw John jump away just in time and he started to fire his gun. "What the hell?" Samantha asked with as much strength as she could muster and Ella just shook her head.

"It's fine, John will be fine," she said trying to convince not only Samantha who looked at her with pain, worried, and confusion filled eyes, but herself when she found her entire body was shaking.

* * *

The two of them sat in the elevator waiting for John to come back so could get the hell out of there. Samantha had fallen asleep from fatigue, but Ella was determined to stay awake. She had been listening carefully the gun firing stopped a while ago, but she could still hear the sounds of something going on and she wasn't about to give up hope on John. He was strong, well superhuman, but she knew that even he wasn't superhuman, he'd do everything he could to survive and protect the innocent. However, what she heard echo over the speaker made her blood freeze.

"_Ark portal activation in progress," _the computer voice said and she sat up from the wall and swallowed hard. _"Four, three, two, one,"_ the voice echoed and Ella swallowed hard and waited with berated breath for something to happen.

Footsteps sounded and she started to shake.

"Ella? Sam?" John's voice called and he walked through the elevator door. Ella was so relieved she stood quickly and made to go for him, only to start to collapse. John moved quickly and caught her. She recovered as he held her and she sighed before she threw her uninjured arm around him.

"Oh, John," she whispered into his neck and he held her gently as she started to cry. He pulled his head back and felt him press his lips to her temple.

"It's alright, Ella, we're getting out of here," he said and she nodded and looked up at him. She sniffed and sighed. His face was slightly blurry but being as close as she was she could see that the bad cut that was there earlier was gone.

"You're alright?" she asked and he nodded.

"I am but you and Sam aren't. So, let's go," he said softly and she nodded. She steadied her footing and pulled away from John. John moved and picked up Samantha. She sighed as he held her close and Ella hit the button. Soon, the elevator was moving up and Ella leaned against the wall and closed her eyes as she slid down the wall. John looked at Ella slightly alarmed but saw that she was okay when she opened her eyes and met his gaze. "Almost home," he whispered and she smiled.

"Almost home," she repeated and looked up to see the sunlight filter in through the glass top and she sighed. She was almost home, but what home did she have to go to?


	10. Chapter 10

I'm sorry it took me forever to update. Thank you for reading, and I hope you like this chapter. Let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Doom.

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* * *

Chapter 10: Revelations**

Ella slowly stood as the elevator came to a stop. As the doors opened three armed men met them there. Ella's eyes widened but as soon as they saw John, they lowered their weapons. "Reaper?" the first one asked as he stepped forward. John just shook his head and the other man nodded as he lowered his gun to the side.

"Take Samantha and get a medic," John said and the other man took Samantha from John's arms and walked him from the elevator. Ella made to follow, but John stopped her. "Come with me, I'll get you checked out," he whispered and she nodded.

"Okay," she whispered and let him lead her from the elevator. John looked up from Ella as he wrapped his arm around her. She was shaking slightly and John looked down at her again.

"Ella?" he asked slightly alarmed and she looked up at him.

"John, I don't feel very good," she said slowly. He raised his left hand to her face and felt her forehead and cheeks with his fingers. He frowned.

"You're burning up," he whispered before he quickly scooped her up in his arms. He was careful not to hurt her shoulder and quickly ran over to where the medics were. It was eerily quiet around them and he stopped as a medic stood from where he was kneeling and looked at him. The medic looked down at Ella and saw the gash in her arm and the blood that covered her clothes and then at John.

"How long did she walk around like that?" he asked quickly as he moved aside and made John follow him into a tent they had set up to treat the wounded that had came up. Surprisingly only two wounded women came up. John followed him and shook his head.

"I don't know for sure. We were separated," he said as he laid Ella down on the cot in the room.

"What happened down there?" the medic asked as he tied a cloth tightly around Ella's arm and checked her eyes then her pulse.

"Too much to explain," he said quietly as he watched the medic's face and saw the man frown.

"She needs a hospital, and fast," he said before he stood and left the tent barking out orders. John sighed and moved to Ella's side. Ella let out a heavy breath and opened her eyes slowly.

"John," she whispered and he raised his hand to her face. "What's going on?" she asked. He gently ran his fingers across her cheek and gave her a small smile.

"They're taking you to a hospital," he said and she frowned.

"John, where's Sam?" He shook his head.

"She's in good hands." Ella sighed and closed her eyes.

"Why aren't you with her?" She was losing consciousness, he could tell.

"I'm where I need to be," he said lowering his hand from her face. Her eyes opened slightly and they where dazed, but she was still there. "I'm not going to leave you, Ella, I'm here," he said as he took her hand. Ella sighed once again before her eyes closed and she was lost to the darkness of her mind. John raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "Always," he whispered against her skin and slowly lowered her hand. Just as her hand rested on the cot once more five people came rushing in.

"You need to move, Reaper," a fellow marine, Cole, said as he helped John stand. "We've got a chopper waiting for her." John frowned and watched as the other four men picked up the cot and took Ella from the tent. John moved to follow but Cole stopped him. "You've got a report to give, Reaper," Cole said and John met his eyes.

"Tell me why they're rushing her away like that first," John said quickly. Cole sighed as he looked at John.

"She's lost a lot of blood, Mick thinks she might not make it if she doesn't get to the hospital soon," Cole said. John swallowed hard. Cole hit his shoulder. "Come on, we've got to go."

"What about Sam?" John asked and Cole smiled.

"She's fine, she'll be okay." John nodded and then followed Cole from the tent; however his mind was elsewhere and in another helicopter.

* * *

Ella took a deep breath as her eyes snapped open. She gasped quietly and sat up quickly, but fell back as soon as she tried as a wave of dizziness rushed over her. "That's not a very smart idea," came a familiar voice. After the dizziness passed, she opened her eyes and looked to her right to see a slightly blurry Samantha sitting in the chair next to her bed with a smile on her face.

"Where are we?" she asked hoarsely and Samantha stood, handed her a cup of water, and looked down at her. Ella drank the water quickly and sighed.

"You're in the hospital, and have been for the last six days," Samantha said. Ella frowned and shook her head slightly.

"What?" she asked. Samantha sighed and pushed Ella's hair from her face.

"You've been unconscious for the last six days. You lost a lot of blood. You're lucky." Ella looked around the room and her frown only deepened.

"Where's John?" she asked and Samantha bit back a smile.

"He's went to get us something to eat," Samantha said.

"How long have the two of you been sitting in here?"

"I was released three days ago, but John's been here the whole time."

"Sam, they didn't have any-," John stopped when Samantha stepped back and a pair of tired blue eyes met his. "Ella," he whispered and rushed into the room. He threw the sack on the chair Samantha had just vacated and the next thing Ella knew John pulled her into his arms and held her firmly to him. Ella stiffened slightly from the shock and the sharp pain that worked its way up her arm, but soon she relaxed against him. She felt his hand on the back of her head and he ran his hand over her head. He pulled back slightly and she looked up at him.

"I'm going to get the doctor," Samantha said. John nodded absently and Ella frowned at the concern she saw in his eyes.

"I'm alright," she said to help him relax. He sighed and gently rested his forehead against hers. "John," she whispered as she raised her left hand to his hair and rested her hand in his very short hair. "I'm fine, I'm here." He lifted his head and looked down at her. Ella was surprised to see tears in his eyes. She moved her hand from his hair and rested her hand on his cheek and ran her thumb under his right eye. He sighed and closed his eyes lightly before he slowly opened them and met her gaze once more. She gave him a small smile and he slowly returned it.

"Mr. Grimm, I hope you haven't injured, Ms. Jamison anymore than she already is," a deep voice said from the door and Ella jumped slightly. She lowered her hand and John slowly let her go and stood from the bed. An elderly man walked into the room and Ella looked at John who shook his head.

"No, doctor, I haven't," he said and the man nodded. Ella looked back at the doctor and he pulled a small light from his pocket.

"Look at me Ms. Jamison," he said as he reached for her face and held her eyes opened. He flashed the light in her eyes and when he pulled away Ella blinked. "How are you feeling?" he asked gently and Ella focused her eyes on his face.

"A little tired, slightly dizzy, my arm hurts when I move it, I'm a little hungry, but other than that, I'm fine," she said and she heard Samantha laugh.

"Yeah, she mentioned food, she's fine," Samantha said as she limped over and sat down on the bed. The doctor smiled and looked at Ella.

"We'll have to run a few more tests, and you'll have to stay at least through tonight," he said. Ella nodded and the doctor looked at Samantha and John. "She needs some more rest, but give the nurses room when they come in." The two nodded and the doctor left the room.

"I'm going to go and get myself something to eat," Samantha said as she stood. "Share what you got with Ella, I'll be back." Samantha left the room and Ella looked to John. He gave her a smile and turned to pick up the sack he tossed into the chair. He pulled the tray over the bed and sat the bag on the tray. Ella looked up at him expectantly, but his eyes remained on the bag and the food he pulled from it.

"I went to a deli up the street," he said. "I hope you like turkey, that's what Sam got." Ella raised her hand on put it on John's left wrist stopping him. He looked at her and Ella swallowed her fear.

"I knew you'd be alright," she whispered as she slid her hand from his wrist and took his hand. "I knew you wouldn't turn into one of those things." John's eyes moved from hers down to their joined hands.

"You said and did things that night Ella, and I don't know if you did them because of what we were facing or because you wanted to," he said gently as his thumb rubbed the top of her hand. She sighed and squeezed his hand. His dark hazel eyes met her blue ones and she blinked away her tears.

"If you don't feel the same way, you don't have to pretend," she whispered. _"Sam must have been wrong,"_ she thought. "If you don't care about me like that, then it's fine," she managed without her voice cracking. John shook his head and pushed the tray aside and sat back down on the bed.

"That's not it," he said gently. John sighed and raised his hand to his hair. He ran his hand frustratingly through it and then looked at her. "Ella, I . . .," he trailed off and she squeezed his hand in encouragement. She wanted to hear him say it, she longed to hear him say it. Even though she never imagined him telling her he loved her too while she sat in a hospital bed and wearing a not so flattering hospital gown, and she never imagined him telling him that she loved him in a life or death situation as she had. John looked long and hard at her face. He could see hope, fear, and love in her tired eyes and that alone finally gave him courage. "I love you," he said breathlessly. Ella smiled brightly at him and pulled on his hand. He didn't need anymore encouragement.

John moved up the bed and carefully wrapped her in his arms. He held her and when she buried her face in his shoulder, he felt his shirt dampen. Ella pulled back and looked at him.

"You have no idea, how long I've wanted to hear you say that," she whispered. John smiled and pushed her dark hair from her face.

"I think I know," he said. Ella smiled up at him. She sniffed and he hesitated for a moment before he slowly leaned into her. Ella closed her eyes slowly and when her lids closed completely his lips claimed hers.

Ella sighed against his lips and wrapped her arms around him, with some difficulty due to the IV in her right hand, but she would not stop the moment. She had kissed him, but it wasn't the same as that moment. The moment right then was not one full of fear and the sense of duty on John's part. The moment was pure and she had longed for that moment for so long.

Their lips danced across each others for mere minutes when John pulled back slightly. He sighed heavily and Ella opened her eyes. John's were still closed and she saw a slight dampness to his cheeks. He raised her hand to his face and wiped away the dampness.

"John?" she asked and he opened his eyes.

"I thought you were going to die," he whispered. "You'd lost so much blood and I thought I'd never get to tell you." Ella smiled and held his face in her hand.

"I didn't though and you told me," she said. John grinned and sighed before he leaned into her and rested his forehead against hers. "I forgot to tell you something," she said and he pulled back with a frown.

"What?" he asked and she smiled as she raised both her hands to his face and held it in her hands.

"I love you too, John Grimm," she said. John smiled and wrapped his hands around her wrists and pulled her hands from his face gently before he leaned in and kissed her softly. Ella closed her eyes tightly and returned his kiss with more passion only to have him respond just as feverishly. A throat clearing broke them apart and the pair looked to the door to see a nurse wheeling in a cart.

"I don't mean to interrupt," she said, "but we've got a few tests to run." Ella blushed deeply and John looked at her with a smile before he got up and stood off to the side to let the nurse do her job.


	11. Chapter 11

I know it's been a little over five months since I last updated and I'm sorry for the not updating. I've had some personal problems and my writing kind of took the back burner for a while. This is the last chapter in my story, just because I think I lost touch with the story. Let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Doom.

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**Chapter 11:**

Ella sighed as she climbed from the hospital bed. She was still a little weak, but after two additional days in the hospital, the doctors gave her the okay to go home, but what home did she have to go to? Sam and John had brought her some fresh clothes to change into, and Sam had even gotten her a new pair of glasses. How Sam knew her prescription, she didn't know, but she really didn't care, she just cared that she could see. As she finished dressing, a knock sounded on the door and she buttoned her jeans.

"Come in!" she called as she turned around. John walked in with a small smile on his face. Ella found herself blushing when she looked at him. "Hey," she said and John closed the distance between them.

"Hey," he said softly as he looked down at her. "How are you feeling?" he asked her gently and she smiled.

"Fine, a little weak, but I'm glad to be leaving. Although, I don't have the slightest idea where I'm going," she said as she turned and went to pick up her bag from the chair. However, John beat her to it.

"You'll be staying with me, along with Sam," he said and he held out his hand to her. She looked at him questioningly. "Neither of you have a place to go. I've got an apartment, but it isn't much." John reached and took her hand into his. He gave it a squeeze and she nodded.

"Okay," she said gently and he led her from the room. "Um, John?" she asked as they walked outside. She noticed several men walking around in armed forces uniform.

"Hmm?" he asked as they walked.

"Exactly what kind of hospital have I been in?" John chuckled and looked down at her.

"A military hospital, but you're on your way home," John said as he looked back ahead and they walked outside. The cool air hit Ella full force and she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She stopped and John looked at her. "What's wrong?" John asked and she smiled as she opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Nothing," she said softly and John smiled at her before he led her to his waiting car. "Where's Sam?" she asked as he opened the door for her. He chuckled as he threw her bag in the backseat.

"She went to the store. I was a little low on groceries," he said. Ella nodded and made to climb in when John stopped her. "Ella," he whispered and she looked up at him. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked as he moved his hand up to her face. Ella felt her stomach flip several times and smiled.

"I've never been better," she whispered and John returned her smile before he leaned in and kissed her lips briefly.

"Let's get you home then," he said and she nodded as she climbed inside the car. John shut the door and walked around the car before he too climbed in. Soon, they were on their way home.

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"It really isn't much," John said as he unlocked the door and let her inside. Ella smiled and shook her head slightly as she followed him inside. He sat her bag down near the door and she stepped around him while he closed the door. There was the usual living room furniture and she looked at him.

"This is more than I had up on the station," Ella told him. She sighed once again and leaned against the wall, the walk up the stairs had drained her of what energy she had left and John was suddenly at her side.

"Ella?" he asked and she smiled at him.

"I'm alright, just weak," she told him. He nodded and scooped her up into his arms with no effort. John carried her down the hall and Ella saw into the kitchen, one bedroom, and then he carried her into the back bedroom. "Whose room is this?" she asked as he settled her onto the dark covers and took her shoes off. John didn't answer her; he just settled on the bed at her feet and pulled her legs over his lap. "John?"

"It's ours," he said softly and she smiled as she sat up slowly. It was then that she looked him over, finally being able to see him clearly; she noticed no cut on his face, and he looked like he was perfectly fine.

"I was scared," she said softly as her blue eyes met his hazel ones.

"We all were," he said and Ella shook her head as she put her hand over his much larger ones.

"I was scared that it was going to chose me, that I was going to be turned by one of those creatures," she said and John turned his hands to clasp hers tightly in his.

"It wouldn't have. It would have just killed you," John said.

"I helped create it. I helped make C24," she told him. "If I would have just reasoned with Dr. Carmack a little more maybe he wouldn't have done the testing." John shook his head.

"You don't know that, and you didn't know what C24 would do. You didn't know that it would turn some people into monsters." Ella sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Will we ever be able to put this behind us?" she asked him softly.

"In time," John told her, "but it will always be a part of us." Ella nodded and closed her eyes. She decided then that it was probably a good idea to change the subject.

"So, this is our room?" she asked as she lifted her head and looked at him. John nodded his head. "What made you think I would share a room with you? I mean, we've only recently started seeing each other."

"Well, I was thinking since we've known each other since we were little, it wouldn't be a problem," he said and Ella smiled as she rested her forehead against his. Her body still ached a bit and her shoulder was still sore, but it felt good to be so close to him. John wrapped his arm around her lower back.

"I suppose that it's a good idea, I really don't want to share a room with your sister," Ella said gently and John chuckled before he titled his head and kissed her cheek. Ella smiled and pulled her head back from him and looked at him.

John took in her features, her skin was still pale and the few scrapes she had on her face was healing nicely. The glasses Sam had gotten her suited her face well, but he wanted to see her eyes fully. He raised his left hand that had remained on her legs to her face and pulled the silver frames from her face and she blinked a few times as she looked at him questioningly. He had loved her for so long, but when she had gone with Sam, he put her in his past because she had chosen his sister over him. However, as time passed he realized that he had done the same thing to her as her parents did.

When Ella was eleven her parents separated and later divorced, but it was a difficult battle. Ella was every bit the daddy's girl and her father loved her more than life itself. When it came down to which parent maintained custody of her, she told the judge she wanted to be with her father and after reviewing the file the judge granted it. However, her mother never came to pick her up for their weekend visits and the last time she had ever seen her mother was when the tall, brunette woman stalked out of the courtroom.

"John, what are you thinking?" she asked him softly and he sighed.

"About you, and the hell I put you through," he said. Ella frowned.

"You never did anything to me," she told him slightly confused.

"I just walked away from you that day you told me you were going up to that place with Sam," he said. "I was so angry with you and I just walked away." Ella gave him a small smile and raised her hand to his face.

"John, you had every right to be angry, but I will admit a part of me died that day," she finished slowly as she lowered her hand from his face to rest on his chest, just over his heart. "It's back though," she told him at his crestfallen face. "It's here and here," she moved her hand from his chest and wrapped her fingers around his left hand before she pulled his hand to her chest and rested it between her breasts, right over her own heart. "And I don't think it's going away anytime soon." John smiled and kissed her. Ella closed her eyes and returned his kiss before a throat clearing from the doorway caught their attention. John pulled back and Ella looked over his head and blushed when she saw Samantha standing there.

"So, do I have to start ordering the invitations?" Samantha asked as she walked into the room.

"Invitations?" Ella asked and Samantha smiled before she settled in the chair across from the bed.

"For the wedding, I mean I know it's bound to happen sooner or later," she said and it was John's turn to blush. Ella smiled and looked at John who hesitantly met her gaze.

"Someday maybe," she said softly, "but right now, we good just the way we are." John smiled and Ella kissed him one more time before the three of them chatted once again, all three doing their best to put the past two weeks behind them.

The End


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